AUSTRALIA’S TRUFFLE INDUSTRY GETTING COMMERCIAL
April 16 2008 – For immediate release
Australia’s burgeoning truffle industry is set to boom following a research breakthrough that has revealed
the specific conditions required to facilitate truffle productivity and reliability in Australian soils.
The findings provide optimism not only for truffle farmers but for investors. Tasmanian Truffle Project No. 3
provides an opportunity for those with self managed superannuation funds to invest in growth of the
Perigord black truffle in Tasmania. This project has been approved as ‘Recommended’ by independent
financial consultants, Lonsec.
The research has been driven by Tim Terry, director of Truffles Australis Pty Ltd, who grew Australia’s first black
truffle on his farm in Deloraine in 1999.
Terry engaged leading soil analysis consultancy, SWEP Laboratories, to analyse dozens of soil samples from
truffle producing plantation areas and non truffle producing plantations throughout Australia over a period
of years. Examining not only soil nutrition but also microbial interaction, Terry and SWEP were able to clearly
identify the specific soil conditions required to facilitate truffle growth.
Truffles are a rarity in Australia, with some of the nation’s most influential chefs paying up to $3000 per kilo to
get their hands on the prized fungus. The findings of Terry and SWEP’s research mean production output
should improve.
“Most other truffle research has focused on just the major soil elements, or water or microbial issues,” says
Terry. “We believe the key lies in the interaction between all of these and the results of our ongoing research
have proved this to be correct.”
Terry had nine year old, truffle inoculated trees that had never produced a truffle. To test the research, he
applied the new management regime to just a few of those trees in September 2007. In the first week in
March 2008 he discovered the first of many truffles under those trees.
“This is good news for truffle farmers, food lovers and investors,” says Terry. “Our research is probably the
most extensive and up to date in the world and by employing the specific farming techniques we have
identified as necessary for optimum production, fruiting is nearly assured and should allow for a positive
expansion of the Australian industry.
Contacts:
Tim Terry, Director, Truffles Australis, Deloraine, Tasmania: 0418 130 464
Ted Mikhail, Managing Director SWEP Laboratories, Melbourne 03 97016007
Larry Palmer, Director Palm-Ag Services 0419361339
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